A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Roatan vs. Granada for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Roatan or Granada?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Roatan and Granada. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Roatan or Granada?

Roatan

Your next great vacation lies just thirty miles off the north coast of Honduras. Right above the world's largest coral reef is the island of Roatan. As a popular tourist attraction and standard cruise destination, it's not uncommon to see tons of Americans during your trip. In fact, the cruising industry has had huge impact on the island's culture. While ships are in port, traffic will be heavier and prices may go up. Because of the growth of tourism, most locals speak both Spanish and English.

Granada

Granada is Nicaragua's oldest colonial city, and arguably, the most beautiful city in the country. It sits on the northern edge of Lake Nicaragua (Lago Cocibolca) and has many beautifully colored buildings and nice churches. The city's beauty and colonial architecture, along with its relative safety and accessibility, make it one of Nicaragua's top tourist destinations. The city has long been a center for commerce, but today its economy depends heavily on tourism. The city is the sixth largest in Nicaragua and a real estate boom in the early 2000's brought a large number of expats to the town.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best Adventure Tours to Honduras, The Best 2-Week Tours in Nicaragua, and The Best Adventure Tours to Nicaragua.


Which place is cheaper, Granada or Roatan?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Roatan is $38, while the average daily cost in Granada is $40. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Roatan and Granada in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Roatan $11
    Granada $17
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Roatan $22
    Granada $34
Compare Hotels in Roatan and Granada

Looking for a hotel in Roatan or Granada? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Roatan


Hotels in Granada


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Roatan Hotel Prices and Granada Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Roatan $19
    Granada $8.57
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Roatan

Some typical examples of transportation costs in Roatan are as follows:


  • Water Taxi
    $4.26

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Roatan

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Roatan:

  • Transfers to West End by night from hotels in West Bay or Sandy Bay: $15
  • Roatan Island hotels to Mahogany Bay Cruise Port - Departure Private Transfer: $38
  • Honduras to Honduras Airport (RTB)-Departure Private Transfer: $38
  • Round trip transfers from airport or ferry to hotel: $40
  • Chocolate Factory, Rum Factory, Markets, Island Tour, Private Transfer: $50
  • Roatan Sun & Fun, Sloths & Monkeys, Beach & Private Transfer: $63
  • Mayan Eden Eco Park, Chocolate Factory & Transfer: $65
  • West Bay Beach, Chocolate, & Rum Factory & Transfer: $67
  • Catch a ride to West Bay & back to Port, Hotel, or Airport (Roundtrip Transfer): $75
  • Honduras Roatan Airport (RTB) to Honduras -Round-Trip Transfer: $76
  • Roatan Private Catamaran Shipwreck, Blue Channel and Starfish with Transfer: $90
  • West Bay Aquarium Snorkeling, Chocolate & Rum Factory, City Tour plus Transfer: $91

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Granada

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Granada:

  • One-Way Private Transfer From/To Airport or Hotels in Granada: $80

Is it cheaper to fly into Roatan or Granada?

Prices for flights to both Granada and Roatan change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Roatan $9.43
    Granada $14

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Roatan

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Roatan.

  • Cooking classes from a Local!: $200

Typical Food Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of dining costs in Granada are as follows:


  • Pizza
    $2.29

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Roatan $27
    Granada $10

Tours and Activities in Roatan

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Roatan are as follows:

  • Roatan Private Snorkeling Experience with Pick Up: $35
  • Shore Excursion: Roatan VIP Customizable Island Tour: $35
  • Private Tour in Roatan with Pick Up: $44
  • Shore Excursion: Private Half-Day Sightseen Tour and Beach: $45
  • Shore Excursion: Roatan East West Private Half-Day Island Tour : $45
  • Roatan Chocolate Factory Rum Factory and Beach Day Tour: $45
  • Customizable Best Of Roatan Island Tour in Honduras: $45
  • Roatan VIP Free-Style Private Tour: $45
  • 4-to-5 Hour Cruise Ship Tour, Monkeys/Sloths & West Bay Resort: $48
  • Monkeys and Sloth Hang Out with Island Tour in Roatan: $49
  • Monkeys & sloth hangout,Chocolate Factory,Rum Factory, island tour/Beach : $49
  • Goodman's Island Style Roatan Highlights Tour: $50

Typical Entertainment Prices in Granada

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Granada are as follows:


  • Lago de Nicaragua Boat Tour
    $8.17

Tours and Activities in Granada

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Granada are as follows:

  • Granada Kayak Tour: $30
  • Colonial Granada Horse Carriage & Walking Tour: $35
  • Paddle Boarding and Meditation Wellness Experience in Las Isletas: $39
  • Las Isletas: Kayak Tour: $39
  • Granada City Tour: $40
  • Granada's City Tour: $40
  • Las Isletas: Boat Tour: $45
  • Masaya Night Tour Minimum 2 People from Granada: $45
  • Las Isletas 2-Hour Kayak Adventure in Granada with Pickup: $48
  • City Walking Tour and Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride: $50
  • Full-Day Tour: Masaya Volcano, Art Market and White Villages: $60
  • Experience Granadas Best Sights Carriage ride + Local Guide: $65

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Roatan $7.07
    Granada $7.50

Sample the Local Flavors in Roatan

Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Roatan:

  • Half-Day Tour in Roatan With Brewery, Rum and Chocolate Factories visit: $46
  • Bar Crawl Tour in West End Village by Pedibike- Let the Good Times Roll: $80

Typical Alcohol Prices in Granada

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for alcohol and nightlife costs in Granada:


  • Tequila
    $1.36


When comparing the travel costs between Roatan and Granada, we can see that Granada is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Central America, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Roatan Expensive? and Is Granada Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Roatan or Granada?

Granada has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Roatan. When comparing the sizes of Roatan and Granada, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.